book publishing

book publishing. The term publishing means, in the broadest sense, making something publicly known. Historically, it came to refer to the issuing of printed materials, such as books, magazines, periodicals, and the like; it now also encompasses issuing such materials in an electronic form. There is, however, great latitude of meaning, because publishing has never emerged, and cannot emerge, as a profession completely separate from printing on the one hand and the retailing of printed matter on the other.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Related Entries
• Associations and Awards
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• New Technologies
• Paperback Books
• Specialization
• The Emergence of Publishing Houses
• Early History
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Journalism and Publishing